The objective of this study is to identify the main factors which prevent children from being enrolled in school, the circumstances which cause them to drop-out during the school year and to identify factors which make children more prone to fail their exams and hence having to repeat or drop-out. This paper focuses on structural factors inherent in the Haitian education sector which may work as disincentives for parents to invest money in their children’s education. It also brings the attention to specific conditions, particularly at the Haitian countryside, which makes it difficult for parents both to enroll their children, but also for their children to proceed and succeed in school.
The findings presented in this paper are based on qualitative interviews and focus groups conducted in four different regions of Haiti during November and December 2007. The study is a part of a larger project focusing on different areas of youth involvement funded by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
